Rise of a Football God

FWEEEE!

The referee's whistle blasted through the stadium, cutting through the noise and announcing a final truth around this stadium.

The game was over.

"…"

"…"

"…..!"

For a few moments after the final whistle, the stadium and its inhabitants could not quite believe the significance of that whistle as they were still engrossed in the energy of the game.

The game, the final of the AFCON tournament was over.

The AFCON tournament was over.

And with it, an explosion...

BOOM!

An explosion of emotions.

But first was the loud voice of the commentators who made sure to make the moment iconic and unforgettable.

"History! Glory! Immortality! The final whistle has blown in Tangier, Morocco, and Nigeria, yes, Nigeria are Kings of Africa once again!"

"They've prevailed over the hosts!"

"This has been a final for the ages! A night where legends were written, a night that will be told for generations! And in the heart of it all, a name that will be remembered forever, Samuel Moses!"

"What a performance! A goal that defied physics, a solo run through Moroccan defenders like a phantom in green, and an assist that carved open the host nation's defense like an artist with a brush!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Samuel Moses!"

"He has painted his masterpiece on the grandest canvas of them all!"

"From Lagos to Abuja, from Benin City to Port Harcourt, from Abraka to Asaba, the celebrations will last for days, for weeks! Nigeria have conquered Africa, and they have done it in style!"

While the commentators waxed lyrical, displaying their passion for the sport, on the stadium, there was a more vivid reflection of fan passion for the game.

The Grand Stade de Tanger was now two different worlds, split by the sheer contrast of human emotions.

Jubilation, heartbreak, and emotion, it all jumbled together into a cacophony of extreme reactions.

On one side, pandemonium. The Nigerian fans were losing their minds. Flags waved wildly; voices strained from endless chanting. Fans hugged, danced, and fell to their knees in tears of joy. The sea of green and white was a storm of ecstasy.

A Nigerian fan stood on a railing, beating his chest, screaming into the night sky. "Champions of Africa!"

On the other side? Silence.

The Moroccan fans sat frozen in heartbreak. Some had their hands over their mouths, eyes wide with shock. They had dared to dream, but the dream had been crushed by the shadow of the villain called Nigeria.

A few wiped tears away, while others tried to applaud their team for the journey.

The Moroccan players, stunned and devastated, stood scattered across the pitch, hands on hips, staring blankly.

They had given everything. But tonight, it was not enough.

Achraf Hakimi broke down in tears.

Finally, he understood how Salah felt when Morocco eliminated Egypt.

Achraf Hakimi was a veteran himself already.

He already had almost a decade of experience in football and in this time, he already had his fair share of losses in the big stages, most notably in the champions league and the World Cup but still, this feeling...

It was so frustrating. To come all this way, only to lose at the last moment.

He looked up, letting his tears flow freely.

Hakimi was not the only one who cried. Brahim Diaz was also in tears, looking towards the stadium stands sorrowfully.

The mood among the Moroccan players was a forlorn one.

While Morocco writhed in silent agony, the Super Eagles had collapsed to the ground in celebration. Some punched the air, others fell onto their backs, laughing, crying, screaming.

Stanley Nwabali sprinted across the field, arms wide open, before being mobbed by his teammates. Victor Osimhen ripped off his shirt, pumping his fists, his veins popping, his face pure adrenaline.

And at the center of it all, Sam.

The man of the match. The architect of victory.

Sam fell to his knees, overcome by emotion. From the beginning of the tournament, he already imagined how he would feel if they managed to make it all the way to win the trophy but now that he did, he was not sure how to react.

His teammates dragged him up, lifted him into the air, parading him like a hero.

Chants of his name rang out across the stadium.

"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"

Sam was used to these chants already. But hearing them this time, he felt so emotional.

'I did it!' He thought. 'No, we did it!'

They had done it. Nigeria were champions of Africa once again.

Noting the mood of the Moroccan players, a few of the Nigerian players, including Sam took the liberty of meeting their opponents to cheer them up.

Afterall, just like them, this was a game that they prepared for with every ounce of effort that they had in them, determined to win too.

But that was the cruel nature of football, there are always the winners and at the same time, there are always the losers.

Today, the host nation, Morocco was the loser.

Having lost against the host nation of the previous AFCON tournament in the final, finally, Nigeria went all the way, birthing a new batch of immortals.

Sam hugged Hakimi, patting him on the back. "You played a great game". He said with all the seriousness he could muster.

Hakimi stared at him, wiping his tears, and then he forced a smile back. "You also deserve the trophy". He laughed. "What a performance you had today!"

Sam smiled back at the compliment.

All over the pitch, it was the same thing as the triumphant Super Eagles players approached the Atlas Lion players, comforting them.

And then, it was their moment again. They focused on themselves.

The celebrations on the pitch quickly hit a crescendo as led by their captain in William Troost-Ekong, the Nigerian players approached the fans together, celebrating with them and roaring in victory.

It was a moment of solidarity that they would never forget.

A moment when a nation was united as one under the banner of football, filled with the victor's euphoria.

After celebrating with the fans, the players finally met their family.

Yes, their families were present.

Sam's family were no different. As early as the semifinals, Sam's family made the trip to Morocco to support their son though Sam never had the opportunity to meet them properly till now.

They were allowed into the pitch to join Sam where Sam hugged his father, so emotional that tears of joy gathered in his eyes.

Winning a trophy with Nigeria, it was something that every football player playing in the streets of Nigeria dreamt about.

Sam never expected to fulfill this dream at the young age of 20.

"Thank you dad," Sam muttered, hugging his dad tightly as he suddenly remembered after that faithful night when he revealed the truth of his system to his father, and the support he got in return.

He could not forget his dad giving him the money to buy the pair of boots and jersey that he competed with in the Christmas game back in 2022.

Sam hugged his dad tighter. "Thank you for everything".

"You deserve it son". Mr. Moses hugged his son back.

And then, it was time for the awards ceremony.

The coronation of Kings.

The night sky above Tangier in Morocco was ablaze with fireworks. The Grand Stade de Tanger had become a cathedral of triumph, the air thick with jubilation, the echoes of Nigerian celebrations reverberating across Africa.

As the Super Eagles gathered at the podium, dressed in champion T-shirts, drenched in sweat and glory, the Moroccan players stood nearby, exhausted, heartbroken, but dignified.

The CAF officials, alongside football legends stood by the gleaming AFCON trophy, its golden shine almost blinding under the stadium lights.

First was the Golden Boot award.

As soon as it was announced, with a big smile on his face, Sam stepped forward, receiving the award amidst applause.

This tournament, he truly went beyond his limits.

Sam did a clean sweep.

With his 12 goals and 6 assists in just 7 games in one tournament, Sam set a new AFCON record for most goals in a single tournament and most goal contributions in a single AFCON tournament.

All of this, he did at the tender age of 20.

He was literally unplayable this tournament.

Next was the Golden Glove award. Stanley Nwabali, Nigeria's rock in goal, stepped up, a smile breaking through his typically stoic face.

He had been Nigeria's wall, their last line of defense, their hero in the semifinal shootout against Senegal. The emotional goalkeeper kissed the award, lifting it high as his teammates cheered.

And then the moment everyone anticipated, the Player of the Tournament.

The stadium roared as the announcer's voice boomed.

"And the best player of AFCON… SAMUEL MOSES!"

The stadium erupted again.

The man of the final. The orchestrator of victory. The artist who painted his masterpiece on Africa's biggest stage.

Sam walked up, draped in the Nigerian flag, his face a mixture of disbelief and pride. He shook hands with officials, lifted the award, and turned toward the Nigerian crowd who chanted his name.

"Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam!"

Sam's eyes welled with tears again.

'This moment…, I wish I can have it frozen forever'.